CIIE testament to country's high-standard opening-up and development potential

The conclusion of the eighth China International Import Expo in Shanghai on Monday has once again demonstrated that China's commitment to high-quality development and high-standard opening-up is not mere rhetoric but a tangible reality.

With intended transactions reaching a record $83.49 billion, up 4.4 percent from last year, and the participation of 4,108 companies across 138 countries and regions, the latest edition of the annual event stands as a convincing testament to the message Premier Li Qiang conveyed at its opening on Wednesday last week that a more modernized, open and dynamic China will inject lasting stability and positive energy into the global economy.

At a time when the world economy faces increasing headwinds from rising protectionism and unilateralism, the CIIE stood out as a rallying point for cooperation, inclusiveness and shared benefit. Rather than closing its doors or erecting barriers, China has chosen to open wider — advancing institutional reforms, shortening its negative list for foreign investment, and building new platforms such as the Hainan Free Trade Port. The expo, now widely recognized as a global public good, reflects the spirit of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, which emphasized deepening reform and expanding high-standard opening-up as essential pathways toward China's modernization and sustainable growth.

In his keynote speech, Li called for advancing international governance reform and safeguarding fairness and justice in the global trading system, emphasizing that countries should consolidate the foundation of legitimate common interests. As Li said, upholding equality and mutual benefit remains the most effective way to strengthen global economic resilience and achieve sustainable growth. This year's CIIE vividly illustrated how those principles are being translated into practice, highlighting China's role as both a beneficiary and contributor to global economic progress through openness, cooperation and innovation.

Moreover, the timing of the expo closely followed the release of the 20th CPC Central Committee's recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30). The recommendations outline China's economic and social development priorities for the next five years, stressing a new phase of the country's high-standard opening-up and proactive integration with global markets.

This forward-looking policy framework gives foreign enterprises greater certainty about China's long-term development trajectory and its continued commitment to reform and openness. Executives from different global companies have publicly stated that they are aligning their strategic plans with China's development goals, and they are confident that the Chinese market will continue to be an engine of innovation and growth.

Such confidence is not misplaced. Over the past seven years, the CIIE has facilitated more than $500 billion in intended deals, helping to connect thousands of foreign enterprises with China's evolving consumer and industrial demands.

The event's broad international participation underscored that message. The presence of 290 Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders, along with a 23 percent increase in participants from Belt and Road partner countries and least-developed nations, reveals the widespread recognition of the potential of the Chinese market as well as China's commitment to promote the common development of the Global South.

This year's CIIE serves as both a counterpoint and a remedy to the forces of fragmentation that threaten global cooperation. Notably, among the participants, US companies maintained the largest national exhibition area for the seventh consecutive year, with representatives from agricultural and materials industries expressing optimism about renewed cooperation and future opportunities in the Chinese market.

As preparations for the ninth CIIE are already underway — with more than 80,000 square meters of exhibition space booked — the steady expansion of the expo's scale and influence reaffirms that openness and cooperation are the keys to prosperity.

The CIIE is an epitome of stability and cooperation. Its evolution over the years shows that China's high-standard opening-up is not a onetime gesture, but an enduring commitment to creating more opportunities not just for itself, but for the entire world.